Hi.

I remember the days when novices could only operate CW on 80, 40, 15 and 10,
and if I remember, the maximum power allowed was 250 watts.  I got my
license on February 12, 1982, and for four months I operated nothing but CW
with my Swan Signet 360.  I had a blast, and I remember waking up at 5 or 6
in the morning to work stations in California on 40.  My Dad thought I was
weird, but now that I think of it, this meant the dudes in California were
up at 2 or 3 in the morning.  One person I specificly remember contacting
lived in Missouri, if I remember right, she was in Kansas City.  She was
Kathy, KA0MKM.  A little later on I worked her Father.  In July of that year
I got my general class, and I did a few contacts on SSB, but for me CW was
and still is my mode of choice on HF.  In 1986 I got my advanced class
license, and a month later I got my extra.  Oh yeah,  I was lucky when I got
my novice and general class, because the FCC authorized people to give exams
to those who couldn't get to the FCC office.  I was 16 when I got my novice.
When I tested for the novice class, I didn't know whether I passed or not
until the Friday when I got my license.  I did know I passed the general
exam, and eagerly waited for my license to arrive.

I remember my first 2 meter rig, and Icom 2AT.  It was a great radio.
Instead of using keypad entry of frequencies, you turned wheels on the top
of the radio to change frequencies.  One thing a tech in our state agency
for the blind, I don't know if he was a ham or not, but he marked where the
zeros were on the wheels, so it was easy to tune it to specific frequencies.
Five years later I got an Icom 02AT, and it was easier to tune, with keypad
entry of frequencies, and it did five watts out versus a maximum of a watt
and a half for the 2AT.  Now I own a Kenwood TH-F6A, and I like the radio,
especially its general coverage receiver.  I also remember my first mobile 2
meter rig, which doubled as a base radio for me.  It was an Azden 3000, and
it had an incredible receiver, and it had 8 memories that you could program.
I got that radio in the fall of 1984, and I had it until around 1991 or so.
Now I have a Kenwood TM-V71A as my base rig, and it's set up as an Echo Link
station, being linked by RF to a local repeater in the area.  The radio has
been constantly on for over five years now, and, knock on my wooden head, I
haven't had a single problem with it.

I think that amateur radio is a thriving hobby, but I don't think that we're
getting as many teenagers in it as we used to.  We did have a youth day a
few years ago, and I had my Echo Link radio set up.  I went to a location
across town, and youngsters operated the Echo Link from there.  They also
did HF and some satellite as well.  I think that the hobby is changing.  I'm
sure there was complaints from those who were exclusive CW operators when
voice was allowed, and I've heard stories about the fights between AM and
SSB operators.  For the past few decades we've had satellites to use, and
now Echo Link and IRLP and D-STAR are among the new digital modes that are
being used by hams to communicate around the world.  I'm one who hopes HF
stays around, and I well remember the controversial decision of allowing
codeless licenses.  I was one who opposed having no code, but now I don't
have a problem with it.  I do, however, think it's important for us as hams
to remember our roots, and I therefore hope the ARRL will give an award for
someone who operates CW.  I remember when I first learned the code in 1979,
and I can say with pride that in the past I was able to copy 35 words per
minute, and I didn't have to write down what I heard.

I know this message is a bit long, but I wanted to share my experiences with
the hobby.  Besides having an Echo Link node, I used to operate a packet
radio BBS, and for a few months I was an HF gateway to deliver messages.
Currently I don't have an HF rig, and since I live in an apartment I'm not
sure how I'd operate.  This note has inspired me to turn on the TH-F6A and
scan the memories, both ham and public service frequencies for activity.  I
think our hobby is doing just fine, it's just evolving.

Have a great day, and don't work too hard.
GO REDS and GO PACERS!
Kevin Minor, Lexington, KY
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